I’m just wrapping up a primary bath remodel for a client. We ripped out a steam shower I installed eight years ago for the previous homeowner. The bathroom looks so much larger without the required soffit to drop the ceiling to eight foot over the shower.

@HALLETT & Co., Any idea how much the previous owners used the steam shower?

Also, congrats on the referral - speaks well of you.

I can ask him. Funny enough I’ve worked on this house for three different owners. This owner has made the best decisions ;)

Most clients use them---for about 3-4 weeks. Then that drops off to weekends. Then maybe every 6-12 months. When they discover it isn't working anymore, they don't miss it enough to fix it.

I find steam showers smothering and unpleasant. Many do. Find a hotel that has one, and book a week there. Try to use the steam function every day. I bet by day 3 that you are over it.

We had a stram shower for 20 years, and replaced it with a new one when we remodeled again. We use it quite regulrly in the winter. in warmer weather, i use it if i have a specific need, like head congestion or sore muscles,

We recently moved into our new home and enjoy our steam shower. If we had to build all over again, we absolutely install another one

I can only comment on a whirlpool tub and a hot tub. We had a whirl pool tub in our previous house. I think we used it only a few times in the 15 years we lived there. There was not enough water from our hot water heater to actually fill it completely. I didn’t like that water just sat in the pipes. it would require running cleaner through the pipes. If it hadn’t been used in a while I felt it needed to be cleaned again before using. Current house we got a hot tub. It’s been a little over 3 years. We use it once or twice a week. I think when we get a bit older and my husband retires we will use it more.

I have whirlpool tubs in both bathrooms. Master bath has a separate shower, guest bath has shower as part of the tub. House is 20yo. I used the whirlpools several times early on, slacking off as time progressed. I don't recall the last time, could easily be 8+ years ago. I have a tankless water heater so no problem filling them ... or even both at the same time although I've never had need to do that. I'm on a private well so I fill one or both of them (with cold water) when bad weather threatens, such a hurricane or arctic storm, that could cause a power disruption.

I have a huge whirlpool tub. I don't use the jets, but I sit in that gloriously wide, deep tub almost EVERY DAY. Taking a good hot bath is one of the simple joys in life.

We bid on a house that had a hot tub; had we gotten the house, contingency would have been owner would have to remove it, neither DH or I have any desire to use or maintain a hot tub.

Steam showers, whirlpool tubs, and saunas rarely add value to a house when it comes time to sell!

They never get used, and add no value. What they add is an extra 15K to the price, and a high risk of moisture damage from a clueless contractor who doesn't understand vapor proofing.

I find steam showers smothering and unpleasant. Many do

Yeah, this is kind of a uniquely American thing. Steam rooms (and saunas) in North America are rarely done with proper ventilation which results in high levels of CO2. Both need about 25 CFM per person of airflow to maintain healthy breathable air quality.

With the humidity in NC, I feel like I live in a steam shower from June through September. No desire to have one inside, too...

Thank you all for your comments. Any others who see this please chime in.

We've lived here eight years, each of us use our steam shower at least twice a week. We'd put one in again. We've never used our big freestanding bathtub, but I knew I wouldn't use it when I installed it, I do love seeing it when I walk in our bathroom.

We put in steam showers in our two full bathrooms when we remodeled our house in 2014. We used them a lot, at least once a week, so when we built our new house we put them in our bathroom and one of the guest bathrooms. Coming up on 2 years here, and they get used frequently. Guests love them, as do we.

Our steam showers have a reservoir for essential oil, which makes the experience extra delightful.

We also have a hot tub at our new house, and dh and I use it almost every day. He rarely skips a day. I skip it in pouring rain and blizzards :-)

Yeah I use our jacuzzi regularly. Worked hard in my days n the ol back, knees, neck n such kinda got worn in a bit.

My doc told me that warm flowing water is excellent for sore joints n muscles. He's correct ! I prefer the 2 person jacuzzi. Just finishing up our new home. We bought another 4'x6' jacuzzi tub except this one pumps air through 200 holes in the bottom. No water pump or internal water lines for water to get stagnant in. Can't hardly wait to install it

I had a sauna, steam room, and hot tub in my previous home and used them weekly and sometimes daily. I plan to have them all installed in my new build and don't know how I lived without them.